What makes it yoga?

Advice to those of us who practice with diligence and desire to better ourselves.

This was fun...and I’m not sure if it was or was not effective yoga practice. Here's why I feel that way:

I really cared about yoga! In retrospect, a good dose of desperation drove my practice. All good. Part of my process. The intention and the desire for deeper experience was there. That's for sure. But at what point did the execution of postures become extraneous to the seriousness of my inquiry?

Fairly soon actually. I remember clearly knowing for many years that the intensity of yoga’s posture work had done about all it could for my inner vision. Although I was enjoying the admiration of others, I knew in every cell that it was time to refine my methods, to find another approach to the inner world. And I did not — for a very long time — do so. Ego hardening can be very tricky.

Going deeper turns out to be about moving more fully into, not out of, human experience. Deepening the ability to feel, to care, to touch and to engage in life. Not to feel good, or to transcend anything at all. But to more fully engage in life. To be useful. To love, to get angry, to think, and to refine all levels of experience. To enter active relationship with self, other and community. To offer back.

Pay attention. Pay attention to what you are actually doing and pursuing. 
For what reasons do you pursue what you do? When you think you have the answer, go deeper again.

Ask yourself "What is under this?"Attend and inquire into why you do what you do and be prepared to change course, to go against the flow. It’s difficult to give up something you are admired for, even if you know it’s another fancy way to enhance ego’s insatiable desire to maintain its dominance.

Letting go of the misguided need to be special is not an easy practice! Can we all you become contented with being usefully ordinary? It is a radical place to live from.
Truly a sneaky little doorway to freedom. Try it. Get ordinary and feel the joy!